


A Forgotten Dream

by Nifawiwa



Series: AkaKuro Week 2017 [5]
Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: AkaKuro Week 2017, Day 5, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Jesus this is the third one-shot with these tags, Kuroko's low presence takes a whole new level, M/M, Prompts used: Transience/Exchange/Mirage, Teikou times, oh well, sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-15
Updated: 2017-04-15
Packaged: 2018-10-19 06:31:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10634235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nifawiwa/pseuds/Nifawiwa
Summary: The boy Seijuurou meets by a pond is nowhere near ordinary. He seems more like a dream that fades away from your memory once the night passes. How can he even be certain the boy exists if no one in his school remembers him? But Seijuurou is determined to prove to everyone that he does.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, day 5! Oof, not a lot left, huh? Nevertheless, let's make the most out of it!  
> This mayyy be a bit similar to my 3rd day in a sense. What can I say, I'm a slut for hurt/comfort :P  
> Also! Just to clarify! "Mirage" has two main meanings, and here I'm using the scientific illusion, one created by light reflecting off a surface. So yeah, don't mix them upppp

Seijuurou didn't remember seeing _him_ anytime in the past.

Which was incredibly strange, given the fact that _he_ was wearing the Teikou uniform. And Seijuurou was _council president_ of said school, shouldn't he had memorized every single student by now? He honestly thought he did. But the truth laid clearly in front of him: someone actually managed to slip past his notice.

Naturally, that intrigued the young leader.

Seijuurou wasn't walking anywhere in particular that evening really, just simply strolling in a relatively quiet park near his school after all his duties were taken care of. To relax his mind and those forever tense shoulders, very understandable. Even someone as _Akashi Seijuurou_ required rest once in awhile after all. However, the teen chose not to display that need too obviously, so practically everyone in his school thought of him as a perfect student, forever working and working, keeping up that impeccable reputation. Not many knew of his faults or how they affected his every-day life. Nothing could possibly hinder _Akashi,_ right?

He was expected to be perfect in every possible aspect after all.

But it really did get exhausting at times, that was why this warm evening the young teen decided to relax without any standards to uphold. Once he returned home he would once again need to become the absolute son and student that everyone saw him. But when he quite unexpectedly noticed a lonely student sitting by the pond and simply gazing into the water, Seijuurou couldn't help but stop in his tracks. At first he was merely interested in the fact that he actually found someone his age at this place, someone that looked unusually serene, but after quietly taking a few steps in his direction the redhead recognized his uniform to be that of Teikou's, which was the other reason why that student intrigued him. He wished to learn more about this mysterious boy and why this was the first time seeing him.

But what he wasn't counting on was the silent student actually sensing him. The frail tealnet unexpectedly turned his head in Seijuurou's direction and the teen was quite surprised to find that he wore a completely blank expression, that or Seijuurou's eyes were once again playing tricks on him, he could never know. Could the boy had actually felt the redhead's stare?

''Hello,'' the tealnet finally broke the serene silence. Now, Seijuurou's hearing was perfect, so now he was sure the boy was strangely monotonous. There was no emotion painting his voice, just plain sound. Honestly, that freaked Seijuurou a bit out, but the teen also grew more interested at that. Not only did the odd boy seem emotionless, he remained that way even in _Akashi's_ presence. No one usually managed to keep their calm demeanor up when _Akashi_ was involved, this tealnet was certainly intriguing.

''Good evening,'' Seijuurou answered politely after a few moments of silence. He pondered about his next words for a short while before finally deciding on his next plan of action. ''May I join you?''

The strange boy merely nodded at his request and turned his head back to the pond. Seijuurou lingered in place for a bit, waiting for who knows what, before he began quietly approaching the sitting teen. After lowering his bag to the ground, Seijuurou sat crossed-legged next to the other student on the freshly-cut grass. The tealnet made no signs of acknowledging the redhead a mere meter from him, he only kept staring over the horizon, completely still. Seijuurou took that time to observe the teen closer, since it was quite difficult for him from a larger distance.

Honestly, Seijuurou had no idea why he hadn't noticed this boy anytime sooner. He looked so... unique. There wasn't really another way to describe him correctly. Never before had Seijuurou seen anyone as calm and expressionless as he. And you would think someone with such an usual hair color would be noticed immediately... Was he perhaps a transfer student? No, that couldn't have been it, Seijuurou would have been informed about it and he would have _certainly_ taken note of him. Who on Earth was he?

''May I ask your name?'' the redhead suddenly asked, surprisingly even to himself. He didn't regret it, though.

The tealnet seemed completely unfazed by such an unexpected question. Well, on the outside at least. It was impossible to tell what he was feeling on the inside, if he was feeling anything at all. Nevertheless, he cast a quick side-glance to the teen next to him before answering.

''Kuroko Tetsuya,'' Was his simple reply.

No, Seijuurou certainly didn't remember this name, strangely enough.

''Nice to meet you, I'm Akashi Seijuurou,'' the young student introduced himself as well, the corners of his lips slightly lifting upwards. He just couldn't take his eyes off the odd boy.

''Yes, I know.''

''So you really are from Teikou, then?''

''Mhm,'' the tealnet hummed in response, confirming the thought. Not once after the first glance had he looked at Seijuurou.

The young teen mused for a short while, pondering about where he should lead the conversation. Oddly enough, he wished to pursue their talk.

''From which class are you, Kuroko?''

''2-D.''

So he really was the same age.

''Are you a transfer student?'' Seijuurou in end decided to ask, just in case.

''No, I've been going to Teikou from first class.''

Perhaps that was a bit rude of _Akashi_ , now that he thought about it.

''I apologize, I did not mean to imply anything.''

''It's fine,'' Tetsuya half-shrugged. ''I know you don't recognize me.''

It was strange how the boy seemed completely fine, almost reconciled with that fact.

''Do you have any after-class activities?'' Seijuurou broke their moment's silence. He should learn as much as he could about this student if he wished to investigate him deeper.

''No,'' the tealnet simply answered.

''Why is that?''

''I don't want to.''

''Do you really?'' the young student asked doubtfully, tilting his head a bit to the side.

Surprisingly, the corners of Tetsuya's lips twitched upwards, almost, oh so almost to a tiny bitter smile.

''Perhaps not,'' he admitted with a soft sigh.

''Then what's the problem?'' Seijuurou asked curiously now, his voice softening. ''Is it something that could be fixed?''

''I'm afraid not,'' Tetsuya answered with a quiet hum, his blue eyes darting all over the horizon. He seemed a bit restless.

''Why do you--''

''You're unusually interested in someone as me, why is that?'' the frail student cut him off and finally shifted his gaze to the redhead next to him. He didn't sound... accusing or anything like that. He really didn't sound like anything. It concerned Seijuurou a bit.

''Honestly, I don't know,'' he answered truthfully, trying to focus on those blue eyes gazing into his own. ''You just... intrigue me.''

Imagine how taken aback Seijuurou must have been when a quiet melodious chuckle left Tetsuya's throat at that, his lips now shaped into the smallest of smiles. Yet, neither of them seemed sincere.

''I'm intriguing, huh? They always say that,'' he commented in a hushed voice, yet it sounded more like those words were meant for himself. ''Don't worry, it's transient.''

''What?'' Seijuurou couldn't stop himself from asking dumbly. The strange teen honestly confused him.

''You asked why I wasn't in any clubs, right?'' Tetsuya averted his eyes back to the horizon as he began standing up. ''I'm not sure. Why don't you give me an answer yourself?''

''How could I possibly know that?'' Seijuurou asked in puzzlement, watching the boy closely.

''It's not that complicated really,'' the tealnet shrugged, picking up his bag from the ground. ''It was nice chatting with you, Akashi-kun, but I must go now.''

''Will you be here tomorrow?'' the redhead inquired curiously.

Tetsuya looked down at Seijuurou blankly.

''Yes, I will. But if you forget to meet me tomorrow, you won't find me anymore.''

Seijuurou was about to ask about that strange sentence, but Tetsuya already took off, leaving the other alone.

Really, what was Kuroko Tetsuya?

<<<>>><<<>>>

It was quite safe to say never before had Seijuurou felt this baffled. Using his privileges as the student council president, the teen spent an enormous time researching that Kuroko Tetsuya in the school's files. And there was almost nothing on him. First, it took him forever to locate the student's file in the first place, since for some inexplicable reason it was shoved in the furthest corner, completely not according to the alphabetical order. And second, there were almost no records of his activities. The single paper only held his name, class and the fact that sometime in the first year he was part of the library committee. No address, no parent information, no numbers. How could there be so little of this boy? It was awfully strange. Well, at least there was _something,_ Seijuurou could try to go investigate more in the library committee. He wondered why Tetsuya quit it, though.

Now, imagine how surprised Seijuurou must had been when he reached his destination, was greeted accordingly as ever, but when he mentioned Kuroko Tetsuya, all the members of that committee looked at him strangely, like he had grown a second head or something.

'''Kuroko'?'' repeated the president, his brows furrowed. ''I'm sorry, but I've been here for three years now and I don't remember such a name.''

''Me neither,'' one of the girls shook her head.

''But that can't be,'' Seijuurou insisted, feeling an unknown emotion pooling up inside of him. ''His records say that he had been a member all last year. Frail body, pale, teal-colored hair, blue eyes, how can you not remember him?''

''Forgive us, Akashi-sama,'' one of the boys spoke up a bit anxiously. ''But there really wasn't anyone like that here last year... I don't think I've ever saw someone like that at all...''

Murmurs of agreement followed. Seijuurou didn't know what to say anymore. How could this be? How could they not remember one of their own members?..

And it seemed no one did.

No matter how many students Seijuurou asked, they only gave him weird glances in return, claiming they haven't heard of someone named Kuroko Tetsuya. The redhead even went to his class, but neither did he find the teen that had caught his attention nor did anyone know who he was talking about. It was so bizarre. It seemed as if the mysterious boy didn't even exist. It concerned Seijuurou more than it freaked him out.

However, there was still one phenomenon left that unnerved the red-haired leader.

As the day progressed his memory of the strange teen kept fading. At times he even forgot what exactly he was pursuing. It was worrying him tremendously. It felt as if... yesterday's encounter seemed more like a dream than an actual event. Yes, it was exactly how Seijuurou felt. That he merely dreamed of Tetsuya. It was so odd, this feeling... But he didn't want to forget. No, he wouldn't _allow_ himself to forget. No one has ever caught his attention like this before. How could he simply let go of such a puzzle?

And yet, after classes, Seijuurou almost turned the other way. Only in the last moment did he remember the boy's words and how Seijuurou was determined to meet him again. And so, with a pounding heart the teen dashed towards that secluded park, praying he wasn't too late. For some reason he needed to see Tetsuya again, he just had to. He didn't want to believe the boy was merely his imagination, he couldn't have been, of course not. Seijuurou couldn't have gone crazy, not yet at least.

He was beginning to run out of breath when the pond finally came into view. Frantically, Seijuurou's eyes darted around the shore and only after focusing did he finally caught sight of that teal-haired boy from yesterday, sitting in the exact same place as before, under the shade of a nearby tree. Exhaling a sigh of relief, Seijuurou took a few moments to catch his breath before approaching the object of his focus.

''Kuroko, good evening,'' he greeted the teen with a soft smile as he sat down next to him once again.

Tetsuya turned his head in the other's direction, and even Seijuurou could notice his slightly wider eyes. Was it from surprise?

''Hello, Akashi-kun,'' he answered as blankly as ever, yet this time a strange, almost inaudible undertone painted it.

''Correct me if I'm wrong, but you seem surprised,'' the young student commented, tilting his head to the side, a smile tugging on his lips. ''Did you not expect me to come?''

''Honestly, no,'' Tetsuya bluntly responded, finally averting his eyes from the redhead next to him back to the pond. ''I'll admit I was certain you forgot.''

''You have very little faith in me, huh.''

''Well, it's not unreasonable, I barely know you.''

''I suppose that's true,'' Seijuurou hummed, slight amusement breaking through his voice.

They sat like that for awhile, Tetsuya gazing somewhere far off while his companion observed him closely. He had to admit, the smaller boy did seem like from a dream. The way his hair blended in with the sky almost perfectly, its locks gently flowing in the warm wind, those perfect blue eyes with that forever distant look in them, blank expression, that unusually pale skin and that abnormally still posture... Someone from a fantasy indeed. Out of this world. Not real.

So fascinating.

Only when he registered a hand being waved in front of him did Seijuurou snap out of his trance. It seemed he was too lost in his thoughts to notice the boy next to him looking at him and speaking.

''What?'' Seijuurou blurted out blinking a few times to completely return back to this world.

''I asked you a question,'' Tetsuya said, his lips shaped in an almost unnoticeable smile.

''Oh,'' the redhead murmured, feeling a bit embarrassed. ''I apologize, could you repeat it?''

''I asked whether you found your answer,'' the tealnet enlightened him, tilting his head to the side in wonder and observing the other closely.

Seijuurou was silent for several seconds. He kept gazing into those wonderful blues, those _out-of-this-world_ blues, drowning in them and wondering how could such eyes ever fade from his memory.

''You're unusually easy to forget,'' the words left his lips without his consent. Once he realized what he had just said, Seijuurou's eyes widened and he immediately regretted it. ''Forgive me, I did not mean to offend you, I don't know why I--''

''It's fine,'' Tetsuya stopped his apology, lightly shaking his head. He cast a weak, almost imperceptible smile at Seijuurou before continuing. ''You're right after all. That is why I was surprised you actually came.''

Seijuurou had opened his mouth to say something, but quickly closed it. Truthfully speaking, he was at a loss of words. So far the only color close to an actual emotion was that bittersweet tone in Tetsuya's voice. And honestly, that was rather depressing.

''But... why?'' Seijuurou finally spoke up, his voice quieter than usual, worried eyes searching for _something_ in Tetsuya's ones.

The small tealnet released a soft sigh, momentarily closing his eyes. After a short while he reopened them and once again averted his look to the vast horizon, where the sun was already setting and painting the sky in a magnificent color of orange.

''I don't know,'' he finally admitted. ''It was always like that. As far as my memory reaches at least.''

''You have always been forgotten?'' Seijuurou asked in a hushed, gentle voice.

''Mhmm,'' Tetsuya merely hummed, slowly nodding his head. ''I'm sure you as well experienced that phenomenon, right, Akashi-kun?'' His eyes once again pierced into those rubies. ''That strange feeling that you'll forget me. How did I seem to you then? What did you think of me at that time?''

''I...'' the redhead blinked a couple of times. For some reason he couldn't focus while drowning in that distant look. ''For a moment I thought you were a dream.''

''A dream...'' Tetsuya repeating in a murmur, darting his eyes somewhere above Seijuurou. ''That sounds about right.''

The boy then slightly hung his head down and brought his fingers to his chin, as if thinking about something. For a couple of seconds he was still, silently musing, before he finally spoke up.

''Though I think...'' he started slowly, lifting his gaze back up. ''A mirage would be a better description of me.''

''A mirage?'' Seijuurou repeated taken aback. ''How come?''

Tetsuya's look wandered off to the horizon once more.

''It's not that... people don't _see_ me,'' he tried to search for the correct words. ''After observing them for so long I came to a conclusion that they _do_ see me, but I just... don't seem real. Like an illusion. Not real, just a trick of the eye. And so gradually they learn to look past me, which leads to forgetting me.''

''That sounds terrible,'' the redhead genuinely sympathized.

''I'm already used to it, so it doesn't affect me as much,'' Tetsuya shrugged, sounding quite nonchalant. ''I came to accept that it's quite useless to form any relationships, since eventually I fade from their memory,'' There was that small bittersweet smile on his lips again. ''You don't actually think you're the first one I'm telling this, right? They all give me their pity, sympathize with me, it's only natural, right? But... if you look at a mirage from a slightly different angle, you no longer see it. You walk past it as if it was never there. My situation is quite similar I could say.''

''But that can't be possible,'' Seijuurou shook his head, not being able to accept this information. ''How can your friends just forget about you like that?''

''All relationships I form are transient. Extremely so. I'm used to it, there's nothing I can change,'' Tetsuya released a small breath, closing his eyes. ''All it takes is to move a little... To get distracted... And the illusion disappears.''

Everything Tetsuya said was so depressing. Seijuurou couldn't imagine how he had to live with all this. Not being remembered by anyone... Not being waited for by anyone... Which meant--

''Kuroko, why did you say that if we don't meet today, I wouldn't find you anymore?'' the young student slowly asked, suspicion lacing his voice. ''You weren't planning on returning here anymore?''

''No, that's not it,'' the tealnet shook his head weakly. ''I would still be here everyday. Just that... How can you find something you aren't looking for?''

That hit Seijuurou more painfully than anyone would have expected.

''You would have forgotten about me for good. Like I said, all it takes is just a little distraction and poof, the mirage is gone. That transience... it's unavoidable really. I don't know why I was cursed with it, but I've been living my whole life it being part of it, so I don't expect anything to change any time soon.''

And then came a question that made Seijuurou's blood run cold.

Tetsuya looked him straight in the eye and with a ghostly smile spoke:

''Akashi-kun... How can you... I be sure I even exist?''

Seijuurou opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. It was as if he was paralyzed. Tetsuya obviously had many problems, many psychological issues... It would indeed be so easy not to trouble himself with problems that didn't belong to him, and yet Seijuurou refused to walk away.

''Don't say things like that,'' the young student shook his head, speaking firmly and unconsciously leaning forward. ''Of course you're real, I'm talking to you, aren't I?''

''But what if I'm just a fragment of your imagination? What if your tired mind made me up? You have tried asking others about me, right? And no one knew me. Even you yourself said that I seemed more like a dream than an actual person. A dream that everyone forgets the next morning. A mirage that disappears once you avert your eyes, therefore not real.''

Was Tetsuya trying to convince him he had gone insane?

...Had he?

''No, no,'' Seijuurou winced unexpectedly, shaking his head quite violently and shutting his eyes closed tightly. Tetsuya was messing with his mind. He couldn't allow that. So after snapping them back open, Seijuurou suddenly grabbed the smaller boy's wrist, startling him quite a bit in the process. Holding the limb tightly in his grip, the teen continued speaking. ''You're real, Kuroko, I know you are. Stop trying to convince me otherwise. You're not some sort of dream or illusion, _you are real_.''

For the first time, it was Kuroko who was at a loss of words. Seijuurou's action surprised him rather strongly if he was being truthful, so now a more-or-less emotion managed to break through his blank demeanor. Honestly, no one before had ever been this _determined_ and _passionate_ to convince him he was real. People usually just offered their _pity,_ then simply left him all alone. It was a strange change. Well, it was a bit too soon to speak like that, but Seijuurou's words stirred something odd inside of him. Still, he wasn't going down that easy.

''Words are just words, Akashi-kun,'' Tetsuya retorted quietly. ''You say that now, but later...''

''Kuroko, listen to me,'' Seijuurou spoke firmly, bringing the other's hand closer, never breaking eye-contact. ''Let's make a deal.''

''A deal?''

''Yes. I shall prove to you that you are as real as any other person, that you shouldn't find this _normal,_ that you deserve long-lasting friends and that you should be remembered by everyone. In exchange, I want you to give me your attention, your trust, your friendship,'' the redhead declared, his voice unwavering in the slightest. His magnificent rubies seemed to burn with determination and honestly, the fire within them took Tetsuya aback.

''You... You want me to be your friend?..'' the tealnet asked uncertainly, trying to find any kind of deceptiveness in Seijuurou. ''Me of all people?''

''Did I stutter?'' the fiery student lifted his brows. ''I meant everything I said. I'll _prove_ to you that you aren't a mirage, that is, only if you wish to accept my deal.''

''That word 'deal' sounds so formal,'' Tetsuya chuckled lightly. A slightly wider than before smile adorned his lips as he spoke the next words. ''How about a promise?''

''Then, it's a promise,'' Seijuurou beamed at the smaller teen, releasing his tight hold on the other's wrist.

Tetsuya nodded at those words, never losing that smile. He decided he could try this. One more time at least. That was what his mother always told him. Always give people a chance. Just because the ones you meet are rotten, doesn't mean the whole world is as well.

''You know, it's rather ironic,'' Tetsuya broke their short silence, a light chuckle rising up his throat. ''The fact that _you_ of all people took notice of me.''

''How come?''

''You have poor eyesight, Akashi-kun, right?'' the tealnet's lips shaped into a small bittersweet smile.

Truth be told, Seijuurou was once again taken aback, and quite strongly too. No one besides his closest acquaintances knew of his... fault, since he did everything in his power to prevent others from realizing it. It wasn't exactly a trait of _perfection_ to have weak eyesight after all.

''How did you find out?'' he finally asked, sounding quite baffled.

''I'm observant,'' Tetsuya shrugged rather nonchalantly. ''First I noticed that you tend to unconsciously do this whenever you try to focus on something...'' He lifted two of his fingers near the outer corner of his eye and gently pulled the skin back, so his eye would look slightly more narrowed. ''Which probably means that you have some problems seeing it clearly. I know this because my father told me about it. With that information I looked closer and, even though it's practically impossible to perceive, I got the impression that you wear contact lenses, right? Putting those two main pieces together, I made the assumption that you have poor eyesight.''

''...Honestly, you certainly surprised me,'' Seijuurou admitted after a short pause, his eyes slightly wider than before. ''Such observation talents... I'm impressed, which isn't a very frequent occurrence,'' he chuckled lightly. ''But yes, you are indeed correct. It isn't really something that can be fixed at the moment, so I have to count on those lenses to continue working, even if my eyesight _is_ gradually growing worse.''

''I'm sorry for that.''

''Don't be,'' the student shook his head. ''I can see something at least, and I'm grateful for that. Honestly, if not for my family's connections and, well, wealth, I would have probably gone blind by now. But unfortunately, that's not possible for everyone.''

''I suppose you're right...'' Tetsuya hummed in acknowledgment, eyes momentarily drifting to the horizon and was surprised to see that the sun had already almost disappeared, now painting the sky in a deep purple and casting darkness over them. It was strange how neither of them noticed how night had fallen upon them. Time sure flied fast when you had company.

''I think we should go already, Akashi-kun,'' Tetsuya commented, directing his eyes back to the redhead.

After checking his watch, Seijuurou nodded and began standing up, taking his bag in the process.

''You're right, we should. I'll lead you home.''

''What?'' Tetsuya asked, baffled. ''There's no need for that, Akashi-kun, don't trouble yourself.''

''I'm not letting you walk alone at this hour,'' the teen stood his ground firmly. ''Besides, it wouldn't be a bother to me. On the contrary, I would quite enjoy conversing with you more.''

''Really now...'' Tetsuya murmured, yet as he stood up a small smile adorned his lips. ''Well, if you insist.''

''I do, you have no choice in this matter.''

The smaller teen chuckled at how determined Seijuurou sounded. How odd, he was actually having fun. Hadn't felt that in awhile. Though it was a nice change.

He could only hope it wouldn't be transient as everything else good in his life.

<<<>>><<<>>>

Tetsuya was quite surprised, to say the least, when the following day Seijuurou unexpectedly entered his classroom during lunch-break – earning quite a few awe-filled looks and excited murmurs, being the most known student in the whole school and all – and without hesitation approached the dumbfounded ( _on the inside, mind you_ ) tealnet. How after only a couple of days he learned to spot the small teen was beyond Tetsuya, though it did make him feel all giddy inside. It was an unusual, yet pleasant change after all.

However, before Seijuurou even had a chance to open his mouth, a ( _unwanted_ ) girl from that class stepped next to him and spoke in that high-pitched voice of hers that Seijuurou was so tired of secretly:

''What brings you here, Akashi-sama?''

''I came to meet Kuroko,'' Seijuurou answered simply, yet observed the girl closely. He wasn't surprised when her expression morphed into a baffled one, but it still irked him off.

''Who?'' she asked dumbfounded.

''That would be me,'' Tetsuya finally spoke up as nonchalantly as ever, yet his darting eyes between the two students dictated a different tale regarding his emotions.

To neither of their surprise really the girl jumped back in fright, startled at the “sudden” appearance of Tetsuya. With her wide as dinner plates eyes she stared at the small tealnet for a few short moments before she once again regained her gift of speech.

''W-Where did you come from?..!'' she stuttered out, trying to wrap her head around this.

''I've been here the whole time,'' Tetsuya responded with his signature phrase.

''But-''

''As a matter of fact, he has been here for the past two years, I'd suggest you note that,'' Seijuurou cut her off, his voice as polite as one in this sort of situation could manage, but even an idiot could sense that the small smile he was giving the girl was anything but warm or sincere.

The female student tried replying something, but the words kept getting stuck at her throat, so in the end she resembled a choking fish more than anything. Seijuurou wasn't planning on staying there until she recovered, though, so he directed his attention back to his main target.

''Would you care to join me for lunch, Kuroko?'' he asked the tealnet, and the smile that played on his lips was genuine now.

''Oh... Sure,'' Tetsuya answered a bit taken aback due to such an unexpected request. He usually ate lunch somewhere secluded, mainly the roof, by himself, so he wasn't used to being in someone's company. But, once again, it would be a nice change.

Seijuurou beamed at him gently and, as soon as the other was up, took hold of the tealnet's hand and led him out of the classroom. Tetsuya was quite surprised, to say the least, at such a gesture, yet he didn't pull back, since he didn't know the reason behind it and just waited for some sort of explanation. However, as Seijuurou just continued leading him through the full of students corridors without saying a word and with the steadily growing color on Tetsuya's face due to their intimate contact the small teen had no choice but start the conversation himself.

''Akashi-kun...'' he first caught the other's attention, and, after a short pause of hesitation, he continued: ''Why are you... um...''

''Holding on to you?'' Seijuurou finished his sentence with a light smirk, amused at the usual monotonous boy's reaction to his gesture.

''Mhm,'' Tetsuya nodded in slight embarrassment, nibbling on his lower lip.

''Well, it's actually a tactic I came up with a short while ago,'' the redhead started explaining. ''I don't know whether it will work, though, but it wouldn't hurt to try. You refer to yourself as a mirage, but I personally see you as a sort of sun without any power, thus without light. As for myself, I tend to believe I have a lot of that. So if you can't shine by yourself yet, I'll take it upon myself to light you up for others to see until you learn how to be bright yourself. So I thought it would perhaps be more effective if we retain physical contact, that way the probability of others not noticing you would be much slimmer according to my assumptions. But if you feel uncomfortable...'' Seijuurou trailed off, casting a gingerly glance at his companion, closely searching for any signs of discomfort.

Seeing that almost worried look, Tetsuya quickly shook his head.

''No, no, it's fine,'' he assured the redhead in a slightly lower voice than usual. ''I was just... surprised is all. I'm not exactly used to such contact you see...''

''You're not particularly used to any kind of contact I assume,'' Seijuurou cast a timid smile at him, a quiet chuckle rising up his throat. After only a small nod as confirmation, Seijuurou pulled the smaller boy a bit closer. ''We'll have to change that, then.''

And he really put effort into it. Tetsuya was, truthfully speaking, expecting to have lunch _only_ with Seijuurou, but the sneaky male had other plans. The tealnet was a bit startled on the inside when the redhead led them to the _exclusive_ table where four other males were already seated. Everyone knew that there only _Akashi_ with his most talented teammates in the basketball club gathered, so it didn't come as a surprise when not only were they startled to see Tetsuya with Seijuurou ( _holding hands_ _may I add_ ), but were also quite bewildered as to why their captain brought this never-before seen student to eat with them. Seijuurou didn't provide them with a satisfying explanation, though, only informed them that Tetsuya was his friend and he would be having lunch with them from now on. He did his best to keep the tealnet talking, involved in any conversation they were having, in other words, _did everything he could for Tetsuya to be remembered._

It was indeed a very nice change. The frail boy began thinking that their _exchange_ was not fair at all.

Nevertheless...

_From now on?_

_How long was that?_

Tetsuya quickly shook his head in the hopes of chasing such thoughts away. It was not unexpected, though. Like he had mentioned before, all these relationships he had lasted only a short while, since, as Seijuurou said, he could not shine and quickly faded into oblivion. And he was used to that. But now that he was once again reminded how real contact with people felt... Tetsuya didn't want to lose it again. Not again. He didn't want to after awhile witness _Akashi_ walking past him as if he wasn't there, he didn't want this young, fragile relationship they formed to be transient. But Seijuurou promised to see him as a real person, not a mirage that faded away from one's sight the moment their attention drifted elsewhere. Tetsuya could only trust him. That was their promise, right?

On a more cheery note, Seijuurou's tactic seemed to be indeed effective. As long as he remained close to Tetsuya and slash or retained physical contact with him gradually it got easier for others to spot the small boy. Satisfied that his theory wasn't off, the redhead pulled Tetsuya along with him everywhere he went throughout the day, introducing him to any people they came in contact with. Tetsuya couldn't feel more happy. It was _such_ a long while ago that anyone did something of this caliber to him, he had almost forgotten how it felt like.

This continued for a good couple of weeks. And Seijuurou didn't miss a single day. Not one time did he forget about Tetsuya, and that was counting their private meetings after school near that pond they first met. It was like... an unspoken tradition for them.

And oh how glad Tetsuya felt for that.

_Please don't let this be transient._

<<<>>><<<>>>

Tetsuya wasn't sure how this particular conversation started, but sometime into their talk near the pond he blurted out that he would like to participate in their school's annual music festival, even though that wish was supposed to be his hidden secret, something that shouldn't have been entertained. Seijuurou, as it was expected, immediately caught up on this new information.

''What instrument do you play?'' he inquired curiously, subconsciously leaning in more towards the other teen.

''The piano,'' Tetsuya answered simply, yet his slightly changed demeanor gave away that he was feeling a bit gingerly. This wasn't a topic he felt confident talking about.

''How beautiful,'' Seijuurou sounded fascinated. It may have been a play of the evening's sunlight, but for a moment it seemed as if his eyes glinted excitedly. ''You _must_ sign up for that festival.''

''Really, Akashi-kun, there's no need,'' the tealnet tried to refuse meekly. ''Someone as me shouldn't get up on stage.''

''That's exactly why _you_ of all people _have_ to,'' Seijuurou didn't back down in the slightest, even if he did sense the other's discomfort. He could also see that Tetsuya deep inside truly wanted to participate, but he was too... insecure. ''Sign up tomorrow.''

''Akashi-kun, no--''

''Yes, Tetsuya,'' the tealnet's first name completely unconsciously slipped off Seijuurou's tongue. For a second he himself seemed taken aback, but quickly shook his head and resumed talking. ''Kuroko, I know you want to. I understand that it may seem difficult to perform with no support whatsoever, but you have me now, remember? And I'll support you from first second to last. So there's nothing to worry about.''

Tetsuya remained silent and only stared into his bent knees. One part of him was pondering about Seijuurou's words, while the other couldn't get the way his name rolled off the other boy's tongue out of his mind. It was so strange how his heartbeat quickened at that significantly and how for a moment his breath got caught up in his throat. But he would have time to muse about that odd phenomenon later. Now he had other priorities.

''I really don't know...'' Tetsuya murmured, bringing his knees to his chest and hugging them. He seemed so lost.

Seijuurou observed the smaller boy for a short while before he moved in front of him and folded his arms on top of the other's knees, resting his chin on them.

''Kuroko,'' he addressed the quiet teen. ''Hey, look at me.''

Tetsuya obliged a bit reluctantly. However, his heartbeat once again shot up wildly when he saw that charming yet warm smile Seijuurou was giving him. At that moment all he wished for was that Seijuurou would only direct such smiles to him and no one else.

... _From where did such possessiveness come?_

''I know you can do it,'' the redhead continued speaking in that soft voice of his meant only for Tetsuya. ''And I know you will. I promise I'll treat you afterwards if that would give you more motivation.''

How could Tetsuya say no to such an endearing voice and such a sincere smile?

''...Okay, I guess I could try,'' the tealnet finally agreed in a quiet murmur.

''That's great,'' Seijuurou's grin widened. ''I can't wait. Do sign up as soon as possible then.''

Like that could be very easy.

<<<>>><<<>>>

Honestly, what did Tetsuya expect exactly? This couldn't have turned out in any other way. He _knew_ this would happen, how naive could he had been to hope for something different? On any other occasion he wouldn't, but Seijuurou's words made him believe that perhaps he could indeed change something...

Ah, Seijuurou. Of course. Thinking about him only made this whole thing worse. Tetsuya was so, _so_ scared of disappointing him. Seijuurou would probably think Tetsuya was pathetic. Perhaps he wouldn't say that out loud, but certainly in his mind he would. Oh how Tetsuya didn't want Seijuurou to think of him like that. But he would, of course he would, who wouldn't?

''Kuroko, is something wrong?''

Tetsuya snapped out of his thoughts, yet still didn't glance at his companion for the evening. He only hugged his knees tighter and weakly shook his head.

''No, I'm fine.''

Seijuurou observed the other boy for a few more seconds and concluded that he was certainly not. Tetsuya was usually quite impassive, even though he managed to open up slightly to him in the past couple of weeks, but now his distress was quite visible. How could Seijuurou get what was wrong out of him, though?

''...How did the sign-up go?'' the redhead finally asked, getting an nagging feeling.

His suspicions were confirmed when Tetsuya almost inexplicably winced.

''What happened?'' Seijuurou inquired softly, moving closer to the distressed boy.

Tetsuya only shook his head and buried his face into his knees. For a short while he remained silent before a quiet murmur finally left his lips.

''Nothing unexpected really.''

''What do you mean?''

''Everything's fine, Akashi-kun, don't worry about it,'' the tealnet insisted, yet with that kind of wavering voice it didn't sound too convincing.

''I will the longer you keep quiet and you know it, Kuroko,'' Seijuurou retorted, albeit his tone was gentle.

The frail boy merely sighed softly. He badly didn't want to talk about it. If the other would just leave him alone, he would accept it more easily.

''Tetsuya,'' Seijuurou addressed him soothingly, deciding to try a slightly different approach ( _and successfully flustering the poor teen in the process_ ). Gently, he peeled off one of Tetsuya's arms from around his legs and took hold of his hand between his palms softly. ''Talk to me, you know you can trust me. Now, did you try to sign-up?''

Tetsuya nodded weakly.

''And what happened?''

''Can't you guess?''

Seijuurou clenched his jaw tightly. He could actually. And honestly, it infuriated him.

''How many times did you try?''

''Six.''

 _Oh wow._ He really wanted to participate in that event, then.

Seijuurou nibbled on his lower lip for a couple of seconds deep in thought before he decided to take action.

''Tetsuya, come here,'' he spoke in a hushed voice as he moved closer to the distressed teen, taking the other arm from around his knees and afterwards wrapping his free hand around Tetsuya's slim waist, bringing the small body closer to himself. The quiet boy, fortunately, cooperated and leaned his head against Seijuurou's chest while his now free hands clenched onto his companion's jacket tightly. God, this felt so nice. And secure. Couldn't they just stay like that _quietly_?

Obviously not.

''Could you please tell me exactly what happened?'' Seijuurou ended their silence, as Tetsuya had expected him to.

''...There's really not much to it,'' the tealnet murmured in response. ''There's a student that coordinates this whole thing, as you should know, and everyone who wants to participate has to tell her that, so she could sign them up. And, well, um...''

''She kept forgetting about you,'' Seijuurou finished the other's sentence quietly, tangling his free hand in the tealnet's locks and gently combing through them.

''Mhm,'' Tetsuya only hummed to confirm that thought. He shut his eyes tightly and buried his head deeper into his companion's jacket as he felt a stinging sensation in his eyes. ''And, well, t-the time ran out.''

Seijuurou painfully noticed the way the distressed boy's voice broke there. He had never seen Tetsuya so upset before. It made him boil with anger. Never before had he felt so _frustrated._ He could only imagine how Tetsuya must had felt. Seijuurou was far too much aware how the frail body in his hold was trembling oh-so slightly and he understood that the tealnet was trying his best to keep his own frustration inside and not allow it to show in the form of sobs.

Really, Tetsuya had faced such situations in the past many many times before and he _never_ reacted this way. He would only blink and make himself believe it was okay, it wasn't anything new or unexpected. He would convince himself that he was indeed _fine._ What did it matter, anyway? It obviously didn't matter to anyone around him – he always kept his parents in the dark regarding this matter – so why should it matter to him? Right, Tetsuya chose to close up and live in the lie he himself created, it was the only safe path for him to take if he didn't want to get hurt too much. But when someone, _Seijuurou_ to be exact, showed him attention, care, support and honestly believed in him, making Tetsuya _for a moment_ believe in himself as well, how could he convince himself he was _fine_?

Frustrated.

He was so damn frustrated.

''Tetsuya, listen--'' Seijuurou began after awhile again, this time in a louder voice, but he was suddenly interrupted by a phone call.

Clicking his tongue in annoyance, the redhead fished out his phone from his pocket and frowned at the caller's ID. Such terrible timing.

Tetsuya listened to his conversation curiously, but he couldn't make out much. The call was soon over and Seijuurou sighed deeply after that.

''I apologize, Kuroko, but I must go already,'' he explained in a heavy voice. ''I really don't want to leave you now, but I don't really have a choice. We'll meet tomorrow, okay?''

The tealnet merely nodded. Of course, he would be fine alone. He always was.

He would certainly not lock himself up in his room and cry his eyes out all night, of course not.

<<<>>><<<>>>

Tetsuya was already more-or-less used to having Seijuurou come to his class during every break, but what he wasn't used to was seeing the redhead so determined on something. He marched through the classroom towards Tetsuya quickly and the tealnet only had enough time to stand up before the other grabbed his wrist and began pulling him out to the corridor.

''Come with me now,'' he declared more than asked firmly, completely ignoring the stares they were getting.

''Where are we going?'' Tetsuya inquired a bit hastily, trying to keep up with the fast pace.

Seijuurou finally looked at him, and for a couple of seconds his serious expression changed into an endearing one.

''You didn't forget our promise, did you?'' he spoke gently. ''I said I will make you shine. I intend on keeping my word.''

Tetsuya didn't quite understand what Seijuurou meant, so he chose to remain quiet and wait for them to reach their destination. And imagine how surprised he must had been when they walked into a certain classroom he was all too familiar with. Seijuurou quickly scanned over the chatting students and after his eyes landed on his target, he quickly pulled Tetsuya along with him in that direction. The smaller boy was thinking of protesting, but he didn't have that chance as Seijuurou spoke up.

''Excuse me,'' he addressed the reading girl, who immediately shot her head up at the unexpected voice.

''Y-Yes, what can I help you with?'' she asked a bit startled.

''Are you the one responsible for signing up students for the upcoming music festival?'' Seijuurou inquired, yet his demeanor gave out that he already knew the answer.

''Ah, yes, I am,'' the girl answered with a nod. That look the teen was giving her was stirring uneasiness inside of her, though. ''U-Umm... Is something the matter?..'' she asked timidly, fidgeting a bit in her place.

''As a matter of fact, yes,'' Seijuurou narrowed his eyes, his voice growing colder. ''We have a very serious problem actually.''

With those words he pulled Tetsuya into clearer view, since the quiet boy had been hiding a bit behind Seijuurou, feeling somewhat uncomfortable by this situation. He didn't want to cause anyone trouble, it was his own fault for being so unnoticeable after all. Why couldn't Seijuurou just leave this be?

''Akashi-kun, please, there's no need for this,'' the tealnet murmured, slight anxiousness breaking through his voice as he tugged on the other boy's hand.

''Of course there is,'' Seijuurou retorted, his cold eyes never leaving the frightened girl. ''I will not allow such discrimination in this school.''

What discrimination was he talking about? It was only natural that Tetsuya was being treated differently, people couldn't help it. It was not their fault they kept forgetting about him... right?

''This student-'' Seijuurou empathized his words by tugging on Tetsuya. ''-had come to you on multiple occasions to inform you that he wished to participate in the event. But you failed your duty and that is completely unacceptable.''

''I-I'm sorry, b-but I don't remem--''

''Do _not_ give me that,'' Seijuurou hissed coldly. By now all of the classroom was dead quiet and everyone was observing the scene unfolding before them in astonishment. _Akashi_ being this irritated was unheard of after all. He was known for his cool demeanor and perfect composure, so naturally everyone was interested as to what could have angered him so. ''Forgetfulness is no excuse. The world would be thrown into chaos if it was. The fact remains that you neglected this student and I, for various reasons, cannot let it slide. So take out your notebook and write down the name 'Kuroko Tetsuya', for you _will_ sign him up as soon as today.''

''B-but the time--''

''That does not matter,'' Seijuurou cut her off sharply. ''Any issues are to be reported to me personally and I will see to it. In the end that name must be in the participants list or else there will be consequences.''

Without waiting for a response, the redhead turned around and strolled out of the silent classroom while still tightly clenching onto Tetsuya's wrist. They walked a good distance away from that place before Seijuurou finally slowed down and lessened his grip. After a moment he released the tealnet's wrist and instead took hold of his hand, yet this time it was significantly softer.

''I'm sorry you had to witness that side of me,'' Seijuurou spoke up with a sigh, casting an apologetic glance at his companion. ''But it couldn't be helped.''

''There really was no need for that whole thing...'' Tetsuya murmured quietly, biting the inside of his cheek lightly. ''I don't want to cause anyone trouble.''

''You aren't, I promise,'' the redhead assured him with a soft smile. ''I'm just executing my duties.''

''What duties are you even talking about?'' Tetsuya murmured while weakly shaking his head.

''My duties as your friend, of course.''

The tealnet couldn't help but feel all giddy and warm inside, even if he chose not to show it.

Their exchange was certainly not fair, Tetsuya decided.

<<<>>><<<>>>

Truthfully speaking, never before had he wanted to throw up this much. He didn't know this would happen, honestly. It wasn't surprising, though, since this _was_ his first time that he needed to get up on stage in front of hundreds of people. Still, he didn't expect to feel so _anxious._ The nervousness was eating him alive and the pounding of his heart kept growing stronger with each second that passed and each moment his demise grew nearer. Perhaps it wasn't too late to bail on this stupid idea, no one would notice anyway, all he had to do was just quietly--

''Where do you think you're off to?''

_There goes that escape plan._

''...Just the bathroom,'' Tetsuya answered as nonchalantly as he could, yet it didn't sound too convincing with the way he was gripping the door handle as if his life depended on it.

''Oh really?'' Seijuurou doubtfully asked as he was heading towards the slightly trembling tealnet, clearly not believing him.

Tetsuya nodded a bit hastily and tried to dash out the waiting room while he still had the chance, but Seijuurou was quick to react. Immediately Tetsuya found himself in a tight embrace from the back, successfully locking him in place. Honestly, this was the first time the tealnet actually wished Seijuurou wouldn't be able to notice him so quickly like everyone else.

''I won't let you run away~'' the redhead teased the struggling boy, pulling him back into the room.

''I wasn't planning to,'' the tealnet retorted in a murmur.

''What do you take me for, Kuroko?''

Tetsuya released a soft sigh at that in defeat.

''Could you let me go, please?'' he asked as he tried to look back at the boy holding him.

''You'll be fine, there's no need to worry.''

''I will die out there, Akashi-kun.''

''You're not going into a battlefield,'' Seijuurou chuckled at the dramatic claim. Finally he released the distressed tealnet, but instead he seated him down in one of the empty chairs while he himself lowered to the ground and folded his arms on top of Tetsuya's knees.

''I might as well be,'' the tealnet muttered, his arms crossed on his chest.

''I understand that you're nervous, it would be strange if you weren't,'' Seijuurou spoke up after a short pause, his voice gentle. ''But I know you'll do great. I'll be sitting in the first row, so I'll be very close, okay? Just focus and forget about everyone else.''

''...I don't really care what others will think,'' Tetsuya started in a quiet voice, averting his eyes from the boy in front of him almost in embarrassment. ''I just don't want to disappoint you...''

Seijuurou was taken aback for a moment at that timid declaration, but quickly composed himself and straightened up a bit. With one hand he gently cupped Tetsuya's face and made him look at him.

''You won't,'' he assured the anxious boy softly, caressing his oh-so slightly flushed cheek. ''I'm already very proud of you for having enough courage to participate in this event, there's no way you can disappoint me. So you have _nothing_ to worry about. Even if you would somehow miraculously managed to fall of the stage, I would help you to get up without a second thought and after a few years I would only playfully tease you about it. Really, if it's me you're worrying about, you can rest easily. I promised I'd treat you afterwards, right? So just focus on getting through your performance so I'd be able to do that.''

Tetsuya stared at his friend for a good couple of seconds before he gave a small nod. Seijuurou was being so affectionate, it swooned the tealnet beyond belief. How could he say no to such endearing words? If only the redhead could stay with him during the performance as well... Unfortunately, the moment he stepped onto that stage, he would be all by himself.

How scary was that?

Soon after that it was time for Seijuurou to go back to the hall. After once more reassuring Tetsuya, he went out, leaving the tealnet alone. Well, he wasn't technically alone, but he sure felt like it. Now the pounding in his ears was much louder and his heart trembled much stronger. It would be a miracle if he didn't faint.

And when his time finally came, when he made his way to the vast scene illuminated by many bright lights and full of deafening to his ears applauds, Tetsuya honestly thought he would indeed faint. It was as if his legs moved on their own while all his eyes could see was a blur of colors. Tetsuya wasn't sure whether he would have snapped out of his trance if during an unfocused glance over the audience he wouldn't have caught Seijuurou, sitting in the front row just as he had said. Out of everyone only his eyes were on Tetsuya, and that was all the anxious boy needed. He didn't need anyone's else attention, anyone's else reassuring smiles. Seijuurou had said he was already proud Tetsuya. But the tealnet wished to give Seijuurou something to be truly proud of. And that was then that his vision fully cleared and he finally bowed, afterwards taking his seat.

After taking a single deep breath, he started.

If truth be told, most of the audience couldn't spot the performer when he was called to the stage, so confused murmurs accompanied the polite applauds, but the moment strong, full sound broke through the noise, silence fell across the whole hall. No one dared to take a breath as the music filled every single corner. At first it was a bit hesitant, almost fearful, but gradually the sound grew, gaining more confidence with every single note. The pace changed as well. The start was rather slow, low notes dominated the music, but as the tension rose, the sound rose as well, quickening with every second. Finally low and high octaves began mixing together, as if in an endearing conversation. To think that a middle-school student was performing such a piece was unbelievable. Why didn't anyone know of him? Honestly, pure talent was being displayed right before their eyes and yet the name to many was unfamiliar. For now that is.

After the final note rang in the air, the audience was deadly quiet for a good couple of moments. However, soon enough loud applauds accompanied with cheers erupted from every corner. The performance they just witnessed was one of the best this day, no doubt about it. How could they had not known of this boy before?

Tetsuya, on the other hand, wasn't as quick to return back to the real world. While playing he always lost himself in the music, so it usually took him a short while to exit that trance. However, soon enough the loud cheers registered in his mind and the boy snapped out of it. After blinking a couple of times at his now silent instrument, the tealnet stood up from his seat and directed his slightly dazed look to the audience. And he had thought the applauds before were loud. Now they were _certainly_ deafening. It was rather hard to believe at first that all those people were cheering for _him_. This was too bizarre to be true. Did they actually like it?

Quickly Tetsuya found his most important person and his breath momentarily hitched at the most brightest smile the boy was giving him. His perfect rubies gleamed with pure joy, as if he himself had just performed such a magnificent piece. Indeed--

Seijuurou stood up. And everyone around him soon followed. Quickly enough all of the audience was standing, applauding the until now unnoticed tealnet, cheering for him and asking each other what was his name again, so they could remember it now.

Tetsuya didn't notice when his own lips shaped into a beautiful smile, all he could feel was that giant bubble in his chest full of joy and a certain feeling he hadn't experienced until now, a feeling he didn't find a label to. But even if the whole hall's eyes now were on him, his own were only on Seijuurou. No one else mattered really. No, all he wanted to do was to make him proud, to make him happy.

So after hastily bowing to the audience, he quickly made his way down the stage and right into a tight embrace. All of the noise faded away and all that remained was that soothing voice in his ears in the form of praises. That was all that mattered in the end.

<<<>>><<<>>>

Seijuurou quickly pulled Tetsuya up the secluded stairs to the very top when the whole school was finally empty of most students. The cleaning crews remained, but they didn't matter. No one would disturb them. Seijuurou was sure of that.

Finally, when they were at the very top, the pair strolled out to the empty roof, closing the door behind them. The sun was already touching the horizon, so the whole sky was painted in a magnificent shade of red and orange, not a single cloud anywhere in sight. A perfect evening.

''God, Tetsuya, I still can't believe it,'' Seijuurou astonished while grinning like an idiot. He didn't remember when it was the last time he had smiled this much during one day. ''You were just..! I never would have..!''

''You're not usually short on words, Akashi-kun,'' the tealnet commented, yet he as well couldn't keep that small smile off his lips. Not only was he simply happy due to today's events, but it was also quite amusing to see Seijuurou this excited.

''Because no words could describe how amazing you were,'' the boy shook his head with a chuckle. He suddenly decided to stroll over to the railing and look down at the city, yet his eyes couldn't really focus on anything. ''You have no idea how proud I am of you. I don't usually say that to others, so that by itself is saying something. Not that I didn't know you would be amazing, but I honestly didn't expect _such_ level.''

''You're over-exaggerating...'' Tetsuya murmured, yet that didn't stop warmth from blooming inside of him.

''I am most certainly not,'' Seijuurou objected that firmly. Finally he drifted his eyes back to the tealnet and the most sincerest of smiles graced his lips as he said the following words: ''Tetsuya, you will no longer be a mirage. No, you shall become a true image, more vivid than anything else. And you'll do that with your own light. People will remember you for _you_ , not for anyone else. You will _force_ them to remember you and no one will ever dare to forget you again. Those were the thoughts that swirled inside my mind as you played, as I saw how everyone was mesmerized and how they wanted to learn more about you.''

''You're giving me too much credit, nothing would have happened if not for you,'' the tealnet shook his head in protest.

''I only encouraged you. I only gave you the required energy to _shine. You_ chose what to do with it and I couldn't be prouder. Sure, this whole process will take time, but now that you have a solid base, everything will be much easier,'' Seijuurou cast the most reassuring smile towards the smaller boy. ''And I will help you all the way. You will never be alone again.''

Really, Tetsuya didn't know what to say anymore. All these emotions, all these thoughts, all these feelings--

''Tetsuya, are you crying?''

The boy blinked a couple of times, noticing how his vision was indeed blurred and his cheeks did feel warmer than before. Hastily, he began wiping the wet trails with the back of his hand, not wanting to accidentally worry Seijuurou.

When was the last time he had cried in front of someone?

''I-I'm fine, really,'' Tetsuya assured him with a slightly trembling voice. He couldn't keep that small smile from spreading across his lips as he finally directed his look back to his companion. ''You just... You just make me so happy, Akashi-kun.''

What did he do to deserve this? Really now.

As Seijuurou's heartbeat quickened at the endearing display, he couldn't keep his eyes from widening and couldn't stop his semi-automatic legs from carrying him back to the small tealnet. He was mostly acting purely on instinct then, no rational thoughts could enter his mind. How could they when Tetsuya was being so irresistibly adorable? Would he regret it later? Perhaps, but that didn't matter at that moment.

Tetsuya was a bit surprised at first when Seijuurou suddenly cupped his face, but his shock shot through the roof when the redhead completely without any warning landed his lips on Tetsuya's. If before the tealnet's heart beat fast, now its pounding accelerated to abnormal levels. Seijuurou's lips felt burning, absolutely intoxicating. And they weren't even doing anything yet! And yet, it was enough to send warm blood rushing to his cheeks and make his knees weak. What exactly was he supposed to think? What exactly was he supposed to do? Seijuurou just--

The redhead, on the other, didn't immediately realize what he was doing. Only after a couple of moments did it click that perhaps this was not entirely acceptable. He didn't know whether Tetsuya liked him, he didn't even know his preferences or if he himself even thought about it, so it was morally wrong to impose on the boy like that. Besides, Seijuurou certainly didn't want to make things awkward between them, so _what the hell was he doing_?

Quickly Seijuurou broke of their kiss, almost jerked his head back once he realized his actions. And seeing those wide as dinner plates eyes full of confusion, oh-so slightly parted lips due to the shock and inflamed cheeks, the taller teen couldn't help but feel extremely guilty.

''Forgive me, I have no idea what came over me,'' he instantly began apologizing, retracting his hands from the other's head. ''Please forget and think nothing of it, I didn't--''

However, the anxious boy was suddenly cut off as his companion without warning clenched the front of his jacket to prevent him front stepping back, slightly tiptoed up and chastely pecked his lips. Now it was Seijuurou's time to be surprised. He stared at the smaller teen in bewilderment, who in return was giving him a tiny warm smile.

''It's fine,'' Tetsuya spoke softly, afterwards wrapping his arms around the other and burying his face in the crook of the boy's neck. ''I think I like it.''

Seijuurou blinked a couple of times in confusion before he released a shaky breath of relief and hugged the smaller teen in return. He was certain his heart almost stopped from worry what the consequences of his thoughtless actions would be.

''Okay,'' the redhead breathed out, allowing himself to take a few moments to calm down. ''Okay. Still, I shouldn't have done it without any warning, I'm sorry for that.''

''It's fine, really,'' Tetsuya repeated with a light chuckle. ''I was just a bit surprised. No need to apologize.''

Seijuurou only hummed quietly in response.

The sun finally hid over the horizon.

 

 


End file.
